The opening chapter of Truth of Crowns sets the stage for this mysterious world full of dark magic and harsh realities; where Gods have no mercy for those beneath them. We follow from 3 different perspectives: the eldest prince in line for the throne after his ailing father, the sickly younger brother of said eldest, and a ward of the Saint-Queen from a neighboring nation. I was very invested in the younger prince’s story as it appears closely intertwined with the dark magic of this world. The mystery developed around the source of magic and the stigma it carries in this world certainly gripped my imagination.

The world building is large in scope with some refreshingly unique locations that jump off the page (e.g. a calcified ship frozen in time by magic). While these locations were extremely fascinating, I found that the reveals felt a bit to long in coming which eld to my attention wandering at times. Unfortunately, I sometimes found my eyes skimming over large info-dumps of royal houses and heirs- many of which may be important to remember later but that I couldn’t process all at once. I also found that sometimes dialogue would take a sharp turn with a character suddenly seeming to change their personality on the spot. I would often re-read passages to make sure I didn’t miss something.

While this is a cut from this year’s SPFBO, I do think there is a correct audience for this story. If you are in the mood for a slow paced expansive world with a dark and gritty magic system and fraught familial ties, Truth of Crowns may be up your alley!